Republican challenger Mitt Romney jumped on Obama for saying this week that Chavez, the dictator of Venezuela, does not pose a serious threat to U.S. national security.

"It is disturbing to see him downplaying the threat posed to U.S. interests by a regime that openly wishes us ill," Romney said in a statement. "President Obama's remarks continue a pattern of weakness in his foreign policy, one that has emboldened adversaries and diminished U.S. influence."

Obama's campaign fired back, saying that the president's policy has marginalized Chavez in the Latin world. Romney "is only playing into the hands of Chavez by acting like he's 10 feet tall," said Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt.

"It's baffling that Mitt Romney is so scared of a leader like Chavez whose power is fading, while Romney continues to remain silent about how to confront al-Qaeda or how to bring our troops home from Afghanistan," LaBolt said.